Under some circumstances, a need exists to excite a substantially planar laser sheet by means of passing a laser beam source through a lens. The phrase laser sheet is assumed to be used interchangeably with the phrases: planar wave, laser plane, electromagnetic wave, electro-optic wave and planar optic wave as referenced by those of ordinary skill in the art.
Numerous patents exist which utilize hollow lens shapes related to the general functioning of lasers devices and laser systems; however, none directly are used to form a substantially planar wave form that is transmitted from the usage of a hollow lens. The following patents were found to use a hollow lens in one fashion or another as stated after the name of the inventor in parentheses—
U.S. Pat. No. 8,854,737 (Nagano) uses a collimator devise upstream of focusing polychromatic light with a wide spectrum width; but does not refer to the capability of laser light spanning a planar space greater than 90 degrees.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,042,422 (Muro) uses a rotational resonator laser along with a collimator lens; however, it does not refer to the capability of the collimated laser light spanning a space that is greater than 90 degrees.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,036,251 (Nowak) talks about slab amplification devices used in slab waveguides while referring to beam profile; but does not talk about laser light collimated such that it spans a space greater than 180 degrees.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,217,897 (Lutian) uses collimated laser light for optical tracking; but does not talk about the spatial capability of the collimated light.
U.S. Pat. No. RE32,988 (Smid) uses the term collimated lens relating to producing a collimated radiation beam but does not make reference to the resulting spatial character of the laser light.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,928 (Dugan) has a focus compensating lens that collimates laser light in such a way that it is capable of temperature compensating.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,328,376 (Negley) talks about a lighting device where the surface area of projection is twice as large as the surface area of a projection of the light emitter.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,917,315 (Negishi) uses a hollow lens holder for imaging applications of endoscopes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,934 (Beach) describes a hollow lens duct for purposes of reflective waveguiding.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,722,220 (Van De Ven) refers to representative examples of reflective elements of hollow shapes such as: cylinders, conical, frusto-conical, semi-elliptical, or any shape which includes one or more portions of the above shapes. These lens shapes in combination with thermal conduction elements, and solid state light emitters (LEDs) along with other embodiments are used for a lighting device—or—recess light can.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,546,010 (Fujii) refers to using a hollow lens so as to cross a propagating direction of light for use in an optical waveguide.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,738 (Feurermann, et al.) refers to a hollow lens-mirror that is replaced by a solid dielectric concentrator for their system, and method, that concentrates emitted light intensity to nearly restore the power density of an active radiating region of the source at the target.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,955 (Parkyn, Jr., et al.) describes an example of using a light source within the confines of a hollow lens in a floodlight application for their radiant energy redirecting system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,453 (Parkyn, Jr., et al.) describes a light source that is within the confines of a hollow lens, as in a floodlight application, for their radiant energy redirecting system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,832 (Pelka, et al.) describes a light source that is within the confines of a hollow lens, as in a floodlight application, for their radiant energy redirecting system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,769 (Parkyn, Jr., et al.) describes a light source that is within the confines of a hollow lens, as in a floodlight application, for their lens apparatus that includes a TIR lens having multiple facets.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,577,492 (Parkyn, Jr. et al.) describes a light source that is within the confines of the hollow lens, as in a floodlight application.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,981,677 (Myers) refers to the usage of a hollow lens that is attached to a base as a conventional light fixture for the lighting devises and methods for lighting.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,934 (Beach, et al.) describes a hollow lensing duct to condense light using a combination of focusing via a spherical or cylindrical lens followed by reflective waveguiding. The intensifying light that the hollow duct generates can be applied to the coupling of diode array pump light to solid state lasing materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,917,315 (Negishi) uses a hollow lens holder that is open on both ends for an imaging module design.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,109 (Beach, et al.) has multiple references to a hollow lensing duct and a hollow optics element that comprises a lens duct used in the design of their high average power scalable thin-disk laser.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,889,251 (Soules, et al.) makes use of a hollow lens duct for the methods of production of alkali resistant optical coatings for alkali lasers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,403 (Smith) leverages the use of a hollow lens array to construct a short pulse laser protection fly's eye.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,878,429 (Van De Ven, et al.) uses an example of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens and attached base plate for making their lighting device and lighting method.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,858,004 (Negley) describes in an example, the usage of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens that is attached to a base plate for making their lighting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,759,855 (Kamada) cites the need for sealing a cavity using a light transmissive hollow lens or cover in constructing a light emitting devise including support member and bonding member.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,628,214 (Negley) describes in an example, the usage of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens that is attached to a base plate for making their lighting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,819 (Negley) describes in an example, the usage of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens that is attached to a base plate for making their lighting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,753 (Rozenman) cites a mirrored hollow lens for the disposable diagnostic contact lens description provided in the background of invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,573,804 (Veerasamy, et al.) cites in an example, the usage of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens that is attached to a base plate for making their light source, device including light source, and/or methods of making the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,643,311 (Krupke) in the claim section, and 5 other places therein, references the phrase—hollow lens—as a component of the diode-pumped alkali laser.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,536,667 (de Graff, et al.) cites the making of a metal mold fabricated from a hollow lens shaped cavity that is filled with a polymer in a semi-liquid form.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,492,788 (Veerasamy, et al.) cites in an example, the usage of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens that is attached to a base plate for making insulating glass (IG) or vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit including light source, and/or methods of making the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,936,855 (Harrah) makes many references to hollow lens the compose a bendable high flux LED array.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,441,206 (Myers, et al.) refers to the usage of a hollow lens that is attached to a base as a conventional light fixture for the lighting devises and methods for lighting.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,061,958 (Krupke) makes use of the phrase—hollow lens—as a component of the diode-pumped alkali laser.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,403,531 (Negley) describes in an example, the usage of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens that is attached to a base plate for making their lighting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,061,960 (Krupke) makes use of the phrase—hollow lens—as a component of a diode-pumped alkali amplifier.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,372,726 (de Graff, et al.) cites the making of a metal mold fabricated from a hollow lens shaped cavity that is filled with a polymer in a semi-liquid form.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,357,553 (Veerasamy, et al.) cites in an example, the usage of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens that is attached to a base plate for making a light source with hybrid coating, device including light source with hybrid coating and or methods of making the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,140,763 (Keith-Wolfe) makes references to a hollow lens panel(s) and member(s) as a component to a light distribution system.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,337,071 (Negley, et al.) cites in an example, the usage of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens that is attached to a base plate for making their lighting device. They also incorporate concave surfaces that are substantially hollow into a lighting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,940 (Van De Ven, et al.) uses an example of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens attached to a base plate for making their lighting device and lighting method.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,335,420 (Beach, et al.) makes references to a hollow lensing duct and a hollow optics element that comprises a lens duct used in the design of their hybrid fiber-rod laser.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,759 (Negley, et al.) cites in an example, the usage of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens that is attached to a base plate for making their lighting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,328,376 (Negley, et al.) cites in an example, the usage of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens that is attached to a base plate for making their lighting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,310,143 (Van De Ven, et al.) describes an example of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens attached to a base plate for making their lighting device and lighting method.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,642,521 (Willi, et al.) cites a formed electrostatic field within in hollow lens body composed of a conduction material will cause an observed physical effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,722,220 (Van De Ven) describes an example of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens attached to a base plate for making the lighting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,276,819 (Canini, et al.) cites the usage of a hollow lens that contains at least one variable curvature liquid for their optical code reader.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,237,912 (Boom, et al.) presents a way to overcome a design limitation by using a hollow lens-liquid boundary for their liquid filled lens element, lithographic apparatus comprising such an element and devise manufacturing method.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,744,243 (Van De Ven) uses an example of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens attached to a base plate for making the lighting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,174,205 (Myers, et al.) refers to the usage of a hollow lens that is attached to a base as a conventional light fixture for the lighting devises and methods for lighting.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,768,192 (Van De Ven) uses an example of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens attached to a base plate for making the lighting device and lighting method.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,120,128 (Matsumoto) cites the usage of a lens accommodating portion that provides a hollow of the lens-barrel base for the optical devise.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,796,173 (Lettvin) refers to a hand held viewer that resembles a magnifying glass with a thick hollow lens having a conical hole bored though one side for an imaging system.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,841,741 (Chan, et al.) cites a light fixture that includes a hollow lens and base plate for a LED lighting assembly and lamp utilizing same.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,112,921 (Van De Ven) uses an example of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens attached to a base plate for making the sign and method for lighting.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,898,749 (Ford, et al.) refers to 2 mechanically separate elements on each side of an air gap—(a hollow lens)—that takes some other form when describing multiple reflective lenses and lens types.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,097,926 (de Graff, et al.) cites the making of a metal mold fabricated with a hollow lens shaped cavity that is filled with a polymer in a semi-liquid form for systems methods, and devices having stretchable integrated circuitry for sensing and delivering therapy.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,901,107 (Van De Ven) uses an example of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens attached to a base plate for making the lighting device and lighting method.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,729 (Van De Ven) describes an example of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens attached to a base plate for making the lighting device and lighting method.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,969,549 (Boom, et al.) presents a way to overcome a design limitation by using a hollow lens-liquid boundary for their liquid filled lens element, lithographic apparatus comprising such an element and devise manufacturing method.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,038,317 (Van De Ven) describes an example of conventional light fixtures which include a hollow lens attached to a base plate for making the lighting device and lighting method.
None of these references above disclose a lens that will transform a laser beam into a substantially planar laser sheet.